Could we see panic buying?
Ministers have introduced emergency procedures ahead of a planned four-day strike by tanker drivers to limit the chances of panic buying. It is feared that filling stations could start running out of fuel from the weekend if the pay dispute is not resolved.
Around 500 tanker drivers employed by haulage companies Hoyer UK and Suckling Transport want a 13% pay rise but the claim has been rejected. The companies are the sole suppliers to almost 1,000 Shell forecourts and the workers plan a four-day walkout from Friday.
Business secretary John Hutton has now been forced to order contingency plans to stop panic buying and limit disruption. The measures safeguard fuel for emergency services and allow for supplies to be moved around the country to areas where there are shortages.
The main worry for Mr Hutton is that drivers could picket distribution depots used by other companies and cause a knock-on effect to other supplies. ‘It is difficult to gauge what the impact of the strike would be if it went ahead,’ the Department for Business said. ‘If the strike were to affect other retailers, it would have a more significant impact.'
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